3A Prep Wrestling: 5 locals advance to state, 5 others fall short

BARRINGTON - Three wrestlers from Hononegah and two from Harlem kept their state-title hopes alive by advancing past Saturday's Class 3A Barrington Sectional with a top-four finish.

Five others had them dashed one step short.

Hononegah's Fernie Silva (41-4) pushed Eric Barone of Crystal Lake South to the brink in the 145-pound title match, falling 3-1 in overtime to take second. And while Zach Benkovich (36-7) got pinned in the second period by Warren's Emery Parker, he still placed second at 160 and moved on with ease. The third Indian to earn a state bid was Tyler DeMoss (39-5), who cruised to third with a 10-5 win at 170.

Harlem's Sage Hecox (36-2) walked off with the championship at 220, winning his overtime match by a 4-2 margin. On the other hand, teammate Tanner Anthony (40-8) lost his last match 6-5 at 152, taking fourth.

But they were all guaranteed a state bid even before stepping out for the last match of the day. The pressure was really on one round earlier.

"Those wrestle-back finals are tough ones, but I've been in them before, and I was ready," said DeMoss, who was knocked out of the championship bracket by a triple-OT defeat in the quarters. "As long as I finished those last two off, that was what was important.

"I'm not relieved now or anything. When I get that state medal wrapped around my neck, then I'll be relieved."

However, a handful of others from the area will not get that chance, losing in the do-or-die, wrestle-back finals. Between the Indians and Huskies, they combined to go 2-5 in the pressure-packed, wrestle-back finals.

"This year, this tournament, that match, I have no excuses. I went all in, and I lost," Hononegah's Matt Jacobs (29-13) said after he fell 5-3 to end his individual postseason. The Indians will wrestle in the team sectionals on Feb. 25. "It helps knowing we've still got a chance to finish strong as a team, but ending my individual season this way, well it's hard not be upset about it."

Hononegah's brothers Brady (29-10 at 113) and Keegan (38-6 at 120) Powers fell in back-to-back wrestle-backs with everything on the line, and Christian Fausel (26-12) was not only one win shy of advancing to state, he was one point away.

"It's been a fun journey," Brady Powers said after he lost a 9-0 major decision to end his tourney run. "But that's a tough way to go out."

And while Sage Hecox advanced in style, his two younger brothers fell a little short. Kailor Hecox (32-4) lost 3-0 in the 195-pound, wrestle-back finale, while Jenner Hecox (36-8) bowed out one round earlier at 160.

"We got some tough draws, and some of the guys just weren't able to do it under pressure," Harlem coach Ryan Spears said. "But Tanner wrestled a fantastic tournament, and Sage, well he's up for a run at state. I think he's the top guy in his weight class the rest of the way."

DeKalb, led by second-place finishers Ulises Jacobo (106) and Matt Macarus (152), will have five representatives at the IHSA state tournament in Champaign. The 3A qualifiers will kick off their tourney runs with Thursday's preliminary matches, with the finals and place-matches slated for Saturday.